1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to communications between clients on a network, and more particularly to methods for accessing devices connected to a remotely located client on a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's computers are moving towards becoming more interactive with other computers in a networking environment. This includes the ability for computers to communicate with other computers on a given network. As computers, or clients, communicate with one another, they are able to access devices connected to other clients. These devices include small computer system interface (SCSI) hard drives, IDE hard drives, SCSI or IDE optical disc drives (e.g., CDs, CD-Rs, CD-R/W, and DVDs), and other peripheral devices.
In order to access peripheral devices and data stored on the peripheral device, it is necessary to use a transfer protocol to connect between two nodes. Various transfer protocols, such as transmission control protocol and internet protocol (TCP/IP), file transfer protocol (FTP) and hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP) are implemented to access peripheral devices and transfer data over a network between nodes. The file transfer and hyper text transfer protocols contain various sets of defined rules which govern the exchange of data between nodes connected to a network. The file transfer and hypertext transfer protocols also use the transmission control and internet protocol to transfer data between nodes connected to a network.
When data is transferred using TCP/IP, the data is divided into individual packets which contain “chunks” of information which allow for an efficient size for routing within the TCP layer. The packets of information are then routed through a network to their final destination, where the information is reassembled by a TCP at the receiving end. Often times, when a user desires to send information using TCP/IP, the user must first compress the information into a zip or gzip format to ease the ability to transfer the information to another client. In addition, if a user sends data via email or a similar function, the user must place the information into a file format, such as *.txt or *.pdf format and send the file as an attachment to the email or a similar function.
Typically, the data being sent from one client (remote client) to another client (local client) is stored on a device which is connected to the remote client. Therefore, in order for the local client to access data stored on the device connected to the remote client, a user at the remote client must send the information to the local client using the above described protocols. A user at the local client is precluded from directly accessing data stored on a device connected to the remote client as if the device connected to the remote client were also connected to the local client. Thus, the above mentioned protocols must be used to access data, which is less efficient because a user at a remote client must physically send data stored on a device connected to the remote client to the waiting local client.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to transfer information with a more efficient and manageable method which allows a first user on a client connected to a network to access peripheral devices attached to another client also connected to the network.